The most natural marine Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish. Therefore, eating fish is the preferred choice if we ignore the effects of heavy metals that are abundant in fish.

Taking some Omega-3 fatty acids with supplements instead of fish is worthwhile, on the one hand, to avoid heavy metal contamination (NORSAN fish oil is purified from heavy metals, pollutants and polychlorinated biphenyls by a special triple process), and on the other hand, to avoid the risk of fish consumption alone, which does not provide sufficient levels of marine Omega-3 fatty acids.

The more natural products mean that NORSAN does not use farmed fish at all. The ever-growing fish farming industry is not only a problem for nature, e.g. the biotope of the Norwegian fjords. When fish are farmed, they are fed with various chemicals and antibiotics. In line with these beliefs and the principles of naturalness, we use only sustainably caught wild fish to produce our Omega-3 oils. Furthermore, as natural as possible means that we at NORSAN use only natural fish oil in all our fish oil products and do not use any concentrates.

What does this mean? The natural fish fatty acid complex is made up of more than 50 different fatty acids, and Omega-3 fatty acids make up about 35 %. Other fatty acids include Omega-6, Omega-7, Omega-9 and Omega-11. Although Omega-3 dosage is important to us, we believe that people benefit most from consuming this natural fatty acid complex in fish oil, as it is based on the natural form of triglycerides.

In product development, the prospect of using an Omega-3 concentrate is quite tempting, as these concentrates contain up to 90 % Omega-3. Especially as people now want to take one capsule and get a large amount of Omega-3. But we don't do that because this concentrated (i.e. chemically processed) form is unnatural and you won't find it in nature.

It is still unclear how much these chemically processed fats benefit our bodies and how they are absorbed. In addition, the chemical modification of Omega-3 fatty acids makes them more unstable, increasing the risk of oxidation. We are of the clear opinion that nature knows best what we need and in what form. That's why we only use fish oil, naturally rich in Omega-3 fatty acids but never concentrated, in our products.

More natural also means that products should contain as few additional ingredients as possible, and that the benefits of those that are included have been scientifically proven. Scientific work, including a study by Professor Bjarne Østerrud of the University of Tromsø, has shown a positive synergy between fish oil and olive oil. That's why organic, cold-pressed olive oil is even included in the three NORSAN Omega-3 oils - "Omega-3 Total", "Omega-3 Vegan" and "Omega-3 Kids". We source this olive oil from an olive grower in Spain who works under strict organic guidelines. The polyphenols in olive oil play a special role. They are powerful antioxidants. This olive oil used by NORSAN is rich in them. The strong antioxidant effect of polyphenols helps to protect the Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil from oxidation, not only during storage in the bottle, but more importantly during transport in the bloodstream via lipoproteins.

Quality, purity and sustainability

Omega-3 products can only be as good as the quality of the raw materials used. NORSAN's goal, and our own statement, is to always choose the best raw materials.

The use of fish livers (also considered as fish waste) has proved successful in the production of high quality cod liver oil, which is used "Omega-3 Arctic" in production. However, we never use fish oil derived from other fish waste.

Fish and fish stocks are limited and valuable resources. We therefore consider it our duty to focus our products on sustainable fishing and responsible use of marine resources. This ethical duty goes beyond independent sustainability certifications. NORSAN highly values the fact that we are allowed to exploit the wealth of the sea and considers it our duty to act responsibly.

Our mutual cooperation is characterised by openness, transparency and trust. We trust and support each other. We are particularly proud of our corporate values because we know that exceptional, high-quality Omega-3 products can only be developed within a specific corporate culture.

Fish oil can also be obtained from various fish leftovers that have not found a place in the production of other products. We are sceptical about this method because we are convinced that high quality fish oil can only be obtained from whole fish.

Simple and effective

NORSAN Products are simple and effective. We try to use as few ingredients as possible in each of our products. In fact, ideally there would be only one ingredient: 100% fish oil or 100% seaweed oil. For example, our product "Omega-3 Arctic" almost 100% made from cod liver oil.

A beneficial dose of Omega-3 for the body...

Opinions and recommendations on the daily intake of Omega-3s vary widely, ranging from around 0.3 grams to 4 or 5 grams per day. In reality, the right dose depends on several factors such as eating habits, the body's absorption capacity, weight, etc. This means that there is no right or wrong dosage, as good or bad dosage always depends on individual factors.

Blood tests provide a relatively simple way to determine the Omega-3 index and assess Omega-3 deficiency.

Studies conducted on more than 10 000 of our customers have shown that at least 2 g of Omega-3 fatty acids per day are needed to correct Omega-3 deficiency.

Measuring and analysing fatty acids allows you to check the effectiveness of different sources of Omega-3.

Certain ingredients have been included in our products in a very targeted way, for example
“Omega-3 Total" :

• Organic olive oil: due to the polyphenols in olive oil, which protect Omega-3s from oxidation.
• Vitamin D: because it is just as important as Omega-3s and, like Omega-3s, we are usually deficient in it. 800 IU of vitamin D3 per day can only have a positive effect on health.
• Natural lemon oil: 1.5 drops of lemon oil are added to the bottle to taste, giving it a very mild, natural taste. The product is also available without lemon oil.

Flaxseed oil contains more than 50% of plant-derived Omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). By contrast, it is not ALA that has health benefits, but the ultra-long-chain marine-derived Omega-3 fatty acids EPR and DHA. The body can convert ALA into EPA and DHA, but the conversion rate is very low. Studies have shown that flaxseed oil consumption is not sufficient to compensate for the deficiency of Omega-3 EPR and DHA fatty acids.

Why doesn't NORSAN offer Omega-3 oil from krill?

Krill oil is a good source of Omega-3. For an effective intake of around 2 grams of Omega-3 per day, a significant amount of krill oil would be required at a cost to the consumer of between €200 and €300 per month. To reduce the cost, krill oil is usually recommended in much smaller doses, but the effect is questionable as the Omega-3 fatty acids are low.

The high price of krill oil is contrary to NORSAN's product philosophy.